


Straight through the heart

by nimrod262



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: Alpha Team, BSAA NAB, Delta Team, M/M, Sniping Competition, Valentine’s Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:14:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29427258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nimrod262/pseuds/nimrod262
Summary: A short one-off.  It’s Valentine’s Day, and Alpha Team are pitted against Delta in the NAB’s annual sniping competition.  Whilst Piers is assisted by Chris, Andy and Carl are working hard to reduce the odds of Piers winning.  Will they succeed?  Will Piers have to face one of his worst nightmares?  Read on.
Relationships: Piers Nivans/Chris Redfield
Kudos: 4





	Straight through the heart

**Author's Note:**

> Delta’s Captain Joubert and Corporal Crouch were first introduced in my short “The CHRIStmas cave”.

It was February, 2015. The 14th to be exact. Valentine’s Day. And the last day of the BSAA’s North American Branch sniping competition, held every year at their base in Williamsport, PA.

It wasn’t always held in February, and it didn’t always end on the 14th. It just so happened that this year there had been an operational lull. The forces of Bioterrorism had seemingly been in retreat after their reverses in Edonia and China, and Piers Nivans was fully re-instated into Alpha Team. So it was obvious to Chris Redfield that now was a good time for all ‘his boys and girls’ to enjoy some friendly team rivalry, and at the same time, hone their sniping skills.

Piers would have preferred some quality time at home with his Captain on Valentine’s Day, but Chris wasn’t one for 'mushy’ anniversaries. He’d never been a chocolates and roses man. So the romantic significance of the date seemed lost on the NAB’s most senior captain. But it hadn’t been lost on Alpha’s senior sergeant, Andy Walker, or his chief partner in crime, corporal Carl Alfonso. They had opened the books on the competition as soon as they got wind of Chris’ intentions back in the New Year. Many had thought the final result a foregone conclusion, and initially the betting was poor. However, Andy and Carl had quickly discovered and 'promoted’ a potential rival to Alpha’s Ace, one Corporal Steve 'Crouchie’ Crouch of Delta Team. Soon, the odds of Andy and Carl making a tidy profit had, much to their satisfaction, improved considerably.

And so it was that the final day saw Alpha and Delta running virtually neck and neck. This year, the competition would go down to the wire, the final shoot-off. Paired teams, sniper and spotter, on the long rifle range. This was an unusual combination for the NAB, where the team sniper normally acted as a lone marksman. But the pairing of shooter and spotter is a fundamental part of any sniper’s skills, and so needed to be tested. After constant badgering by Andy and Carl, Chris had agreed to partner Piers as his spotter. Similarly, Delta’s own captain, French Canadian Julien Joubert, would spot for Crouchie. The pairings had added spice to the competition, and money to Andy and Carl’s betting pot.

Andy grinned at Carl. “Don’t fret it. They may be partners, but Cap’s no use as a spotter, not with all that math involved. It’s gonna be tight buddy, but if Crouchie can pull it off, we’re gonna’ be in the money. Big time!”

“I hope so Sarge, I got a month’s salary staked out on this one.”

“So have I, and I earn more than you! But I got one more card up my sleeve. And I think it just might clinch things in our favor.”

“What could possibly put the El Tee off his stroke? He never misses!”

“How 'bout shooting his Captain? Heh, heh!”

“Say what!?”

****************************

The Williamsport Base long range, all 1500m of it, had a number of different targets that could be set up in each of the four lanes. A large, BOW target, typically a Napad, a smaller one, a J'avo, a life-sized human outline, and of course, the usual concentric circles, centered on a bullseye. There was, however, one other target, less commonly used by the NAB, and for good reason. It was the standard military target of a charging soldier in combat uniform. And the reason it wan’t often used was that he bore an uncanny resemblance to Chris Redfield. In full 'I do what I want mode’.

Shooting at this particular target had never affected Piers during his time in the SFG, the Green Berets. But that was before he’d met his future BSAA Captain, and fallen hopelessly in love. The first time he’d encountered the target with the oh-so familiar face at Williamsport, he’d suddenly frozen. His trigger finger just wasn’t able to take up the slack as he aimed his customized sniper’s rifle. Wasn’t able to squeeze the hair trigger. He’d blinked, in shock and disbelief, as the brutally handsome face stared back at him through his scope.

"C,Captain … ?” he’d whispered to himself in gut wrenching horror. “… No, I can’t!”

“Everything Ok Lieutenant …?” It was Rick, the range’s target man calling on the range intercom. One day they would become firm friends, but at this point, Rick was very careful in his dealings with Alpha’s Ace. The young lieutenant had a prickly reputation. He was something of a prima donna, and he didn’t suffer fools gladly by all accounts. “… Sir?”

Piers shook himself out of his thoughts. “Um, it’s nothing. Change the target please. Something smaller I think. More a test of my capabilities.”

“Circles?”

“I said anything! Er, sorry, smaller, yes, circles will do.”

“Roger that Lieutenant. Circles it is. Confirm your rifle is made safe.”

“Rifle is made safe.” Piers waived his arms above his head, before the target man went to change the target …

Rick had almost forgotten the incident five years earlier. But Andy Walker hadn’t. He’d been watching Piers closely that day back in 2010. Seen his lieutenant’s trigger finger stop and then shake. Seen the momentary look of horror on Pier’s face as he’d blinked. Just as if he’d seen a ghost. There was only one thing Piers could have been looking at. Andy raised his binoculars and looked at the target a full click and a half away.

“Ahh, so that’s how the tough cookie crumbles.” Andy smirked. With a keen, shiny new No.2 on his back, and one who was something of a stickler for the rules, Alpha’s sergeant had been looking for a weak-spot in his immediate superior’s armor. And perhaps he’d just found it.

Now, five years later, Andy figured it was time to cash in on the memory. Like the rest of the team, he’d grown to love his No.2. Not quite as much as the Captain had for sure, but he was Alpha’s Ace, revered and respected. The trouble was, he was too good. The odds, quite literally, now had to fixed be in Delta’s favor. Andy knew there was only one man who could help him pull of the betting coup of a lifetime. It wasn’t Carl, and it sure wasn’t the Captain. Andy put a friendly arm around the target man’s shoulders. “The very person. Rick, my good 'ol buddy, I’ve been thinking …”

****************************

Meantime, Captain Joubert was putting a friendly hand on his corporal’s shoulder, and squeezing hard.

“No pressure then, Crouchie, eh?”

“Agh! N,no Captain. Just us two up against the BSAA’s finest. You know Lieutenant Nivans, he never misses!”

“Perhaps, but Chris is ring rusty, you can tell. He hasn’t acted as a spotter in years. Your very own Captain, on the other hand, has kept his hand in. Comprendre?”

“Er, y,yeah, of course Sir.”

“And what’s more, we have Delta’s lucky toques to wear …” Joubert passed him a close-fitting knitted hat, white, with a large red maple leaf on the top.

“That’s uh, a big comfort, Captain.” the corporal eyed the offensive headgear with suspicion.

“… and besides, a little bird tells me the odds are now decidedly in your favor.” continued Joubert.

“They are? F,first I’ve heard of it. What little bird?”

“One with three stripes on it. Here, take a look-see.” Joubert passed Steve his binoculars. “The target man’s just putting up the final targets. You’ve got a J'avo. What’s Nivans got?”

“Um, it’s the combat soldier, standard NATO issue.”

“And?”

“Er, he’s charging, gun blazing.”

“Look at his face.”

“He looks kinda’ angry Sir. Got his m,mouth open, like he’s screaming.”

Joubert sighed. “Maudite marde! You know, Crouchie, for a sniper, your eyesight’s not always that good!”

****************************

Rick finished adjusting the two targets. There was a stiff crosswind blowing now. It would make the final round interesting. He finished, and swung the targets side on to the wind. They would flip around to face each sniper team in turn. Delta had won the toss and would be the first to shoot. The targets mounted in their stands, Rick retraced his steps back to the 'Home on the Range’ cafe. It was where an excited crowd was now gathered. Andy and Carl had whipped up a last minute round of enthusiastic betting before closing the book. Up to now, Delta had managed to give Alpha a good run for their money. What Steve Crouch lacked in finesse compared to Piers had been made up for by Julien Joubert’s more accurate scoping. He was, as he had boasted, rather better than Chris.

Piers looked over to his spotter. “This is it Babe, the final shoot. Don’t let me down.”

“I’ll give it my best shot Ace. Er, well, you will. Ha! I’ll just do the math.” Chris nervously ran a hand around the back of his collar.

“Hmm, some decimal points might help, you know, for accuracy. 'How about 5-ish’, or 'Try minus 3.’ are not very precise.”

“I’m not used to shooting at this range!”

“Perhaps you should be?”

“Why? I’ve got you on Alpha!”

“Chris!”

“If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it! That’s what I say.”

“Yes, frequently, but you … Oh, never mind. Look, Delta are just about ready. There goes Joubert’s hand.” 1500m away, the target swung around. “It’s a J'avo. Good!”

CRACK!! The first of Crouchie’s shots rang out.

“Is it? Why?”

CRACK!!

“Um, it’s a good luck thing Babe. We, er, we snipers are a superstitious lot.”

CRACK!!

“Are you? You’ve never said before. I though you were just the perfect man-machine, you know, all cool logic and mathematical precision. Like a …”

“Bear! How about less talk, and more drift and wind figures? Huh? I need to get set up.”

CRACK!!

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Let me see, start with left 2, no, 3, two and a bit …”

“Christopher!”

CRACK!! It was Steve Crouch’s final shot. It wasn’t a bullseye, but it was very close Now it was all down to Piers … and Chris’ maths.

Piers scoped Crouchie’s target. “Damn, he’s good. They’re both good.”

“We’re better, well, you are. Ha! You can do this Ace, I gotta’ good feelin’.”

“Hmm, more than our sergeant and his sidekick. Did you know they’re betting against us? And on today of all days. No wonder they say romance is dead.” Piers gave Chris a meaningful look.

Before Chris could answer, Rick’s voice crackled over Chris and Piers’ headsets. “Are you ready Alpha?”

Chris raised his hand in acknowledgement, and their target spun around.

“Left 4, wind 15, no, 18, better make it left 5 … Ace? Piers, are you listening?”

Piers had scoped his target and frozen. His mouth open, his finger not even on the trigger.

“No! No, it can’t be!”

“Can’t what? C'mon Ace, take your shot.”

Piers shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t. It’s you.”

“Hey, I know I’m not brilliant at this spotter thing, but I’m not that bad!”

“Not you! Him. The target.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s you.”

“Is it?” Chris looked through his own scope and scratched his head. “It’s just some soldier attacking. Look, he’s wearing a helmet. That’s definitely not me. Ha, ha!”

“It is!” exclaimed Piers, still in shock.

“Er, listen to me Ace, I don’t know what all this is about, but you’d better suck it up. Alpha does not lose to Delta, Capiche? Do that snipey thing you do. You know, big calming breaths.”

“I just …” Piers was almost wailing now.

“Loser!”

“What!” CRACK!!

“I said loser, big time!”

“Gah!” CRACK!!

“Pfft, call that sniping? You’re just a pretty boy poser.”

Hazel eyes flashed. “Rraww!” CRACK, CRACK!!

“That’s it Ace, channel that anger! Last one, you’ve equalled him so far. We need a bull to clinch it.”

Just as Piers’ finger curled around the trigger for the fifth and final time, Chris placed his hand on Pier’s butt, and squeezed it fondly. “I love you Piers Nivans!” he whispered.

“WTF Captain!” CRACK!!

There was an uneasy silence. Piers’ eyes were shut tight. He couldn’t bear to look himself.

The Captain scoped the target and smiled. “It’s Ok Ace, you can open them now.”

“Oh, good!” Piers slowly opened his eyes, but he still couldn’t bring himself to look. “How’d I do?”

Chris leant in close to whisper. “You got me Piers. Just like you always have, just like you always will …” He pointed to the distant target. “… A bullseye, straight through the heart!”

The Captain planted a tender kiss on his partner’s blushing cheek. “MWAH! Happy Valentine’s Day Piers.”

“You did remember! And I thought you’d forgotten. By the way, please don’t ever do that again whilst I’m taking a shot!”


End file.
